Jayne Armstrong, may she rest in peace

Hissy_Fitz
Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
in Ovarian Cancer #1
Jayne passed away this morning - peacefully (thank God) - with her devfoted husband Jimmy at her side. Jayne was my hero. I am beyond sad, and frankly, I am scared. If it could get the best of Jayne, what chance do I have? Jayne's will to live was stronger than anyone's I have ever known. How cruel that I have plans to visit the San Jose area in a few weeks, and I was hoping to meet Jayne face-to-face. I was so excited.

Carlene

Comments

  • kellyh33
    kellyh33 Member Posts: 287
    #2
    Jayne
    I am so sorry for you Carlene and for the ladies fighting this horrible disease. It just doesn't seem fair. I am glad to hear she went peacefully surrounded by people that loved her and that she in turn loved.
    It scares me too everytime we lose another board member however, you have to remember how many have survived. Everyone's fight is different and you just have to keep fighting the best way you know how.
  • Rookerbird
    Rookerbird Member Posts: 100
    #3
    Carlene, I am so sorry
    Carlene, I am so sorry that you were just a few weeks away from meeting her, and couldn't. And, I'm very sad you have lost someone who was an inspiration to you.

    We all have a chance...it's a battle, for sure, but we've read about some women who have been NED for years. Think of the good stuff you're doing with the vaccine trial. Anything is possible.

    I know it's not the same as meeting her, but Jayne's family would probably enjoy the chance to meet and spend time with you.
  • Christine B.
    Christine B. Member Posts: 137
    #4
    Dear Carlene,
    I am sorry that you did not get to meet this wonderful person. I visited her blog when you told us about her a few months ago, and she was and will continue to be an inspiration to those of us fighting this awful disease. I believe she would not want us to be afraid. Thank you for all that you are doing now to help others in the future, Jayne would be pleased. Christine
  • kikz
    kikz Member Posts: 1,345 Member
    #5
    Christine B. said:

    Dear Carlene,
    I am sorry that you did not get to meet this wonderful person. I visited her blog when you told us about her a few months ago, and she was and will continue to be an inspiration to those of us fighting this awful disease. I believe she would not want us to be afraid. Thank you for all that you are doing now to help others in the future, Jayne would be pleased. Christine

    Sorry about Jayne
    I too read her blog and was so impressed by her. I loved the way she expressed herself especially in regard to her husband who I will pray for tonight. I live very close to San Jose and thought it would be an honor to meet her sometime. May she get the peace she deserves. I hate this lousy disease. What right does it have to keep taking all these beautiful, wonderful women?

    Karen
  • azgrandma
    azgrandma Member Posts: 609 Member
    #6
    kikz said:

    Sorry about Jayne
    I too read her blog and was so impressed by her. I loved the way she expressed herself especially in regard to her husband who I will pray for tonight. I live very close to San Jose and thought it would be an honor to meet her sometime. May she get the peace she deserves. I hate this lousy disease. What right does it have to keep taking all these beautiful, wonderful women?

    Karen

    I am sorry to hear this
    I am sorry to hear this
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #7
    Amazing
    woman and amazing man! They seemed to fight this disease as a team and their love for each other was so evident. Man, I am so sad today.
    k
  • nancy591
    nancy591 Member Posts: 1,027 Member
    #8
    heavy heart
    What a true warrior. She will be missed....
  • anicca
    anicca Member Posts: 334 Member
    #9
    So sorry
    I'm so sorry for you, Carlene, Jayne's family, and all who knew and loved her. She must have been an amazing woman.

    I have never believed that will to live had anything to do with cancer survival. Since my own mother died of breast cancer when I was 4, that would be like saying she didn't want to live enough to stay with me. Maybe the will to live can keep one going a little longer, or help one endure misery, but it is not sufficient by itself. This in no way diminishes anyone's chances of beating cancer. We are each unique, and there is no way, at present, to know who may beat it. Life is so uncertain, and this is true with or without cancer.
  • MK_4Dani
    MK_4Dani Member Posts: 314
    #10
    It is sad.
    I look forward opening FB in the hopes of a new post to Jayne's blog. The lastest post was not what I wanted to see. Her blog, with it's raw truthfulness of battling OVCA; written by a woman with a lovely, peaceful spirit, amazed me. Another lost warrior.
    The passing of our friends reminds us of the reality of our situations...I am scared too.
    Ahem,
    Mary
  • wendybill
    wendybill Member Posts: 84
    #11
    MK_4Dani said:

    It is sad.
    I look forward opening FB in the hopes of a new post to Jayne's blog. The lastest post was not what I wanted to see. Her blog, with it's raw truthfulness of battling OVCA; written by a woman with a lovely, peaceful spirit, amazed me. Another lost warrior.
    The passing of our friends reminds us of the reality of our situations...I am scared too.
    Ahem,
    Mary

    Man this makes me sad. I
    Man this makes me sad. I think about her often. I visualize her riding her bike. That woman was incredible as was her husband. All the best to she and her family. She is an amazing woman that has inspired many.
  • Mwee
    Mwee Member Posts: 1,338
    #12
    Dear Carlene
    This is such sad news. Jayne was a hero and she lived her life to fullest which is a lesson to us all. I choose to believe that she is with our other Teal Sisters who are so sorely missed. I'm sorry that you didn't get to connect with her in person, but I know she had a huge impact on you and may have helped set you on the course you are now taking.
    (((HUGS))) Maria
  • NCEllen
    NCEllen Member Posts: 115 Member
    #13
    The Teal Balloon
    I am sad - more about this because Jayne was such an inspiration for knowing how to live every moment in such a full light despite all of the setbacks she faced - she always seemed to move forward. Her writings are such a testament to courage.
    So - I haven't told anyone this story because my family might think I'm nuts, but I think you my sisters will understand. On the morning that Jayne passed I was out running errands. While waiting for traffic to move, I noticed a Teal star shaped hellium balloon just floating free and casual in the sky. I thought to myself- 'wow, I wonder if that's Jayne's sign?' I looked at the clock and it was 1:52 EST. I didn't see the post of her passing until that evening around 5:30 to see that she had passed that morning. Am I feeling a little odd about that? - yes, I am. Because I was hoping that what I was thinking wasn't true. But also knowing her time to 'transition' was near, that balloon was so peaceful just floating along freely in the breeze against a blue sky. I konw we have to keep moving forward- no matter what. I will miss her, but will keep her and our other dear friends in spirit and continue to pray for all of you who are on this journey. Love muches, El
  • poopergirl14052
    poopergirl14052 Member Posts: 1,183 Member
    #14
    NCEllen said:

    The Teal Balloon
    I am sad - more about this because Jayne was such an inspiration for knowing how to live every moment in such a full light despite all of the setbacks she faced - she always seemed to move forward. Her writings are such a testament to courage.
    So - I haven't told anyone this story because my family might think I'm nuts, but I think you my sisters will understand. On the morning that Jayne passed I was out running errands. While waiting for traffic to move, I noticed a Teal star shaped hellium balloon just floating free and casual in the sky. I thought to myself- 'wow, I wonder if that's Jayne's sign?' I looked at the clock and it was 1:52 EST. I didn't see the post of her passing until that evening around 5:30 to see that she had passed that morning. Am I feeling a little odd about that? - yes, I am. Because I was hoping that what I was thinking wasn't true. But also knowing her time to 'transition' was near, that balloon was so peaceful just floating along freely in the breeze against a blue sky. I konw we have to keep moving forward- no matter what. I will miss her, but will keep her and our other dear friends in spirit and continue to pray for all of you who are on this journey. Love muches, El

    very sad
    Reading this makes me very sad. I did't get to read any of Jaynes posts.where are they. She soulds like a true fighter and you girls really cared for her. Carlene you are a wonderful lady and a true hero in my eyes. I am so sorry,Carry on her wisdom and spirit, you are a brave and very smart lady.....val
  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #15
    poopergirl14052 said:

    very sad
    Reading this makes me very sad. I did't get to read any of Jaynes posts.where are they. She soulds like a true fighter and you girls really cared for her. Carlene you are a wonderful lady and a true hero in my eyes. I am so sorry,Carry on her wisdom and spirit, you are a brave and very smart lady.....val

    Jayne's husband is leaving
    Jayne's husband is leaving her blog up. It goes all the way back to (I think) 2008. I believe she started it after several recurrences. I know she had a 3 1/2 year remission, following first-line treatment, and that was 8 or 9 years ago. (She and her husband Jimmy were married the week after Jayne's diagnosis, and he was her primary care-giver throughout her illness, even learning to manage and care for an ever increasing array of medical equipment and supplies.)

    The URL is shoppingkharma.blogspot.com

    Jayne posted a lot of photos and videos, so we all had a chance to see her face and hear her voice. That made her very real to us. Plus, she and I had a considerable amount of one-on-one contact that was very, very special to me. The last email I received from her was a couple of weeks ago, and it was very brief. I knew she was extremely frail (78 pounds) and that she couldn't possibly last much longer. And she was in so much pain....I would not call her back to that, even if I could.

    Where most of us, myself included, carefully cover up our scars and our baldness, painting on eyebrows and using cosmetics to camouflage what cancer has done to us, Jayne bared hers for all the world to see. She wanted to put a face on ovarian cancer. She wanted to show people that there is nothing neat or clean about cancer. It's messy and ugly - a horrible monster of a disease. She wanted people to notice, and to do something: lobby for a cure, for early detection, for better and more effective treatment, for more funding for research.

    Cancer took so much from Jayne: the opportunity to be a mom, her career, her independence, her dignity, and, of course, at the end, it took her life. But it could not take her spirit. She was just 41 years old.
  • Cafewoman53
    Cafewoman53 Member Posts: 735 Member
    #16
    Shopping Kharma
    On another board that Jayne was a member the ladies and men are remembering her by lighting a candle and having a toast to her at 9:00 pm this Sunday evening if anyone would like to join in. Her celebration of choice would have been a beer and a joint ,lol
    Hopefully wherever she is she will see all the candles and know how many lives she has touched. She has inspired me and I am thankful to her
    Colleen
  • LaundryQueen
    LaundryQueen Member Posts: 676
    #17
    Cafewoman53 said:

    Shopping Kharma
    On another board that Jayne was a member the ladies and men are remembering her by lighting a candle and having a toast to her at 9:00 pm this Sunday evening if anyone would like to join in. Her celebration of choice would have been a beer and a joint ,lol
    Hopefully wherever she is she will see all the candles and know how many lives she has touched. She has inspired me and I am thankful to her
    Colleen

    Jayne's legacy
    Even though Jayne passed on before I was vitually introduced to her, I can truly appreciate what she has done to increasing the public awareness of ovarian cancer. It is sad that her life was cut short when she had so much to give to so many people.

    I found this info on the ocrf.org website:

    Ovarian cancer has a 46% five-year survival rate and receives $8.8 million in research from the Department of Defense; breast cancer has a five-year survival rate of 89% and receives $122.8 million.

    Thank you, Jayne, for raising the public consciousness about this "whispering" condition.

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